MHERST - Day two of the national letter-of-intent watch came and went with no announcement by the University of Massachusetts on its class of men's basketball recruits.

The early signing period lasts until Wednesday and while UMass has some letters already, it is waiting until all (presumably six) national letters of intent arrive to announce the recruiting class.

UMass coach Travis Ford said the delay isn't a sign of any problems.

"We're in great shape," said Ford, who is prevented by NCAA rules from commenting further until he has the signed letters. "There's no problems."

Any player under 18 must have his parents also sign the letter of intent.

Thus it often takes longer for players at boarding schools and international recruits who are playing high school ball in the United States whose parents need to sign the letter. UMass has received verbal commitments from players in both situations.

BC GAME MOVED - With some cooperation from Boston College and College Sports Television, UMass moved its basketball game with BC Dec. 2 from 2 to 7:30 p.m.

The move was made to avoid a conflict with a potential football game in the Division I-AA playoffs. If UMass wins its final two regular-season football games, the Minutemen likely would host one or more playoff games.

SKY HOOK - With just under 13 minutes remaining in the Minutemen's exhibition game against Bridgeport Saturday, UMass junior center Luke Bonner spun and lofted a sky hook that dropped into the basket over a surprised defender, sparking excited applause from the crowd.

Hook shots aren't uncommon. Most inside players have a jump hook, or a baby hook in their repertoire. But a full-fledged sky hook, the sweeping shot that helped Kareem Abdul-Jabbar become the NBA's all-time leading scorer, is a lost art that is almost as forgotten as the underhand free throw.

But the shot wasn't just a novelty made with UMass holding a big lead in a game that didn't matter. Bonner's been working on the shot since middle school and he's pretty efficient with it.

"It's a very serious weapon. It's fun and people will get excited about it because nobody really does that," said UMass coach Travis Ford, whose team opens the regular season at 5 p.m. Saturday against Dartmouth. "It's a shot you can't stop and that people don't work against. We have to get him the ball in the right places. It's a great weapon."

Bonner picked the move up from an AAU assistant coach and began practicing it in the driveway of his family's Concord, N.H., home with his older sister Becky who played at Boston University, and his older brother Matt, who is in the NBA.

"My sister probably has the best one in the whole family," Bonner said. "It seems like a novelty shot, but it's really frustrating on defense if someone makes a sky hook over you."

Bonner, who is a big fan of watching old basketball games on NBA TV and ESPN Classic, has seen plenty of Abdul-Jabbar clips.

"I watch a lot of old basketball," Bonner said. "I watched Kareem, but I've watched a lot of those old Celtics games."

Bonner, who started his career at West Virginia, said the Mountaineer offense didn't really allow much for a sky hook and he didn't play that often anyway behind two veteran big men. But he did make one hook in a college game.

"I made one against Notre Dame over (Dennis) Lattimore," Bonner said.

Ford said the shot fits Bonner's demeanor.

"Luke is a different guy. He's full of personality and that's a personality shot," Ford said. "It's something he needs. He doesn't necessarily overpower people or have quick moves underneath. That's something he'll be able to count on."

Bonner agreed with Ford's assessment.

"If anybody would shoot a sky hook, it's definitely me," said the admittedly goofy big man. "I can't see anyone who is a real cool player coming in and throwing up a sky hook."

MISCELLANEOUS - The Travis Ford TV show makes its season debut Sunday at 11:35 p.m. on ABC 40.

Matt Vautour can be reached at mvautour@gazettenet.com. For more UMass coverage including a frequently updated UMass sports blog, go to www.dailyhampshiregazette.com/umsports.